Death toll from yesterday’s grenade attack at a rally in Maskel Square,which was organized to support reform measures of prime minister Abiy Ahmed, rose to 2. One of the victim is identified as Yosef Ayalew.

Six more victims are in the Intensive Care Unit of Tikura Anbessa hospital.

The minister for department of health, Amir Aman, MD, tweeted : “I’m so sorry to learn that we have lost another Ethiopian victim of yesterday’s attack who was in ICU at Black Lion Hospital. My sincere sympathy and condolences to the family, friends & all Ethiopians.”

I’m so sorry to learn that we have lost another Ethiopian victim of yesterday’s attack who was in ICU at Black Lion Hospital. My sincere sympathy and condolences to the family, friends & all Ethiopians.

The total number of victims from the attack is reported to be 155 and most of the cases are not life threatening.

Based on an eye witness account,the grenade was thrown from behind the stage shortly after the prime minister finished his speech and there is a claim that prime minister Abiy was the intended target of the attack.

Abiy Ahmed and his Deputy, Demeke Mekonen, visited victims of the attack at the hospital yesterday in the evening.

The prime minister admired the response from health professionals and move to mobilize additional support.

HE PM Dr Abiy Ahmed conveys his gratitude to first responders, health professionals, blood donors and all volunteers who showed true solidarity in response to yesterday’s cowardly attack. They are our finest people. HE PM applauds efforts to mobilize additional support. #Ethiopia

Organizers of the rally have also visited the victims and have called on the government to support the victims,including financially, according to a report government affiliated Fana Broadcasting Corporation (FBC). They are intending to open a bank account to mobilize support from Ethiopians.

The Ethiopian government has disclosed that suspects are in custody. In addition, Deputy Commissionaire of Addis Ababa police and eight other authorities from the Federal police are arrested in connection with the attack.

At this point, it is known to the public that the perpetrates of the attack bypassed tight security arrangement disguising as police officers in uniform.

An estimated four million people attended the rally at Meskel Square. Apart from demonstrating support to the reform initiatives of the new prime minister, the rally was intended for expressing gratitude to prime minister Abiy Ahmed and his team for the reform measure they took,since they took office two months ago,to redress a political situation that looked like, seen retrospectively, a breaking point.

The prime minister has also introduced economic reform measures including privatization of key government enterpirzes although his economic measure does not seem to be as popular as the political one.